Apparatus for testing golf balls



March 16, 1943. c. 5. ANDERSON ETAL 2,314,063

APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 17206222275. Cari G. Qndensom March 16, 1943. c. e. ANDERSON ETAL 2,314,063

APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS Filed Aug. 31, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .fzUenZZ 915: Card Qrzderaom flanaldlflkfiardflm,

March 1943- c. G. ANDERSON ETAL 2,314,063

APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS 4 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 31, 1940 601442 QndersQN/f 'March 16, 1943. 0. cs. ANDERSON ETAL 2,314,063

APPARATUS FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS Filed Aug. 33 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 frzilenibrs Card 6. andefaow BY fimzmma Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,314,0ss APPARATUS roa TESTING GOLF BALLS Carl G. Anderson and Donald E. Richardson, Chicago, 111., assignors to United States Goli. Association, a voluntary association Application August 31, 1940, Serial No. 355,012

9 Claims.

resiliency which to a large degreev determines their velocities and length of flight.

The primary object of our present invention is to provide an apparatus by which the initial velocities of driven golf balls may be determined, and by which such balls may be segregated into groups corresponding with their respective coefilclents of resiliency.

This object is attained by hitting each ball with a mass moving at a constant speed and measuring the resultant velocity with which the ball leaves the driving face. The initial velocity of a ball so driven indicates its inherent capability of flight and its expected distance of travel, except as modified by wind and atmospheric conditions.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for accurately locating a series of golf balls in succession in a predetermined position in the path of the continuously operating driver moving at a constant speed, so that each ball will be accurately hit by the driver at the same point on its surface.

Another purpose of our invention is to provide means operable by the driven balls in flight, whereby the actual linear velocity of anyball may be determined when desired and whereby a series of driven balls may be segregated or classified into groups of like or similar velocities.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for determining the velocity of a ball during its first few feet of flight, thereby eliminating the factors of wind and atmospheric conditions which materially affect the length of flight.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which will be compact and therefore capable of use indoors, and one which will be accurate, reliable and durable in use.

Other desirable features and inherent advantages of our invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 1s a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the driving end of the machine taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view forming a continuation of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits employed in the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, and particularly to Fig. 1, reference character I indicates the mechanism which positions )and drives the balls through the tube or conduit 8 carried upon the supports 9 and ii. Light sensitive elements are located at stations i2 and i3, one at the entrance end of the tube 8 and the other about ten feet further along the tube. From the tube the balls are delivered into the velocity dissipator II from which they are discharged and diverted into selected groups by electrically operating diverting switches, which will be later described.

The mechanism for positioning and driving the balls, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is provided at one side near the bottom with an inclined hopper l5 adapted to receive the balls to be tested. From this hopper the balls are carried singly and in succession by a rotating disk l6 provided with a plurality of pockets I! to an upper position in alignment with an opening in a plate l8 through which the balls roll by gravity down a chute l9 onto the upper surface of an endless belt conveyor 2i equipped at regularly spaced intervals with feeding dogs or lugs 22. Each dog moves a ball 23 in front of it in an upwardly inclined direction, the balls being retained against displacement from the conveyor by a guide or shield 24 of inverted channel shape, as shown in Fig. 3.

The conveyor 2i is trained around and driven by a sprocket wheel 25 and is also trained around a lower sprocket wheel 26 mounted on a shaft 21 provided with a worm 28 meshing with a worm wheel 29 on the shaft 3i which carries the ball feeding disk l6. By this train of mechanism, the feeding disk is driven from the conveyor.

The conveyor sprocket wheel 25 is, mounted on a shaft 32 upon which is also mounted a gear wheel 33 meshing with and driven by a pinion 34 carried by a shaft 35, which also carries a sprocket wheel 36 driven by a. chain 31 from a driving sprocket wheel 38 fixed on shaft 39. A

large sprocket wheel 4| also fixed on this shaft has trained around it a sprocket chain 42 driven from a driving sprocket wheel 43 fixed on a shaft 44. A worm wheel 45 also fixed on shaft 44 is driven by a worm 45 mounted on a vertical shaft 41 equipped near its upper end with a worm wheel 48 meshing with and driven by a worm pads 58 of rubber or other suitable yielding ma-- terial adapted to grip the outer surface of a golf ball at opposite sides and hold it in predetermined position until it is forcibly driven at right angles to the path of travel of the chain from between the holding pads.

The conveyor chain 42 and the conveyor 2| are driven in such timed relation that, as a ball approaches th top of the conveyor sprocket wheel 25, it is brought into registration with a pair of the holding pads 58. The ball, however, is not at this point positioned between the pads but is simply contacted thereby sufficiently to carry the ball upwardly around the sprocket wheel 4| as the feeding lug 22 passes downwardly around the sprocket wheel 25. A channel-shaped curved guard 59 extends partially around the sprocket wheel 4| and in such spaced relation to the sprocket chain 42 as to loosely accommodate a ball as it is being fed upwardly around the sprocket wheel by th fingers 51. The speed of the sprocket chain 42 is such that the ball within the guard 59 moves by centrifugal force outwardly against the guard during its upward travel, which movement is permitted by the separation of the opposed fingers 51 and pads 58 induced by the curvature of the wheel around which the chain is traveling, each finger 51 being fixed to a link of the chain so as to project at right angles to the path of travel of the link. It will be manifest that as the links pass around the sprocket wheel 4|, the outer ends of the fingers 51 are separated one from the'other so that the ball is very loosely held and is permitted to travelradially of the sprocket wheel under centrifugal force as far as is permitted by the guard 59. When the ball reaches the top of the sprocket wheel 4|, it is induced by gravity to fall inwardly away from the guard, but at this point the fingers 5! are moved toward each other to firmly grip the ball between them and hold it at exactly a predetermined height. In this manner, each of the balls to be tested is accurately positioned and held between a pair of opposed, resilient pads so that when it reaches the driving station, it is positioned at exactly the proper height to be impacted by the driver. To insure against downward curving of the chain 42, which would cause a ball carried thereby to be lowered below the predetermined driving level, an accurately positioned supporting plate 5| extends beneath the upper lap of the chain, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The driver, by which the balls are driven from their predetermined position between the holding pads 58 through the tube 8, comprises a disk 82 fixed on the shaft 52 and provided with a radially projecting hammer or head 53 equipped with a driving face 64 of suitable material. From Fig. 3 it will be observed that the horizontal axis of a ball 23 positioned between a pair of the holding pads 58 coincides approximately, if not exactly, with the arc in which the center of the driving head is traveling at the instant of impact of the head with the ball. By accurately positioning each ball between its holding pads, assurance is provided that each ball will be impacted by the driver at the same point on the ball, and since the driver is traveling at a constant linear velocity, the same momentum will b imparted to each ball when it is hit by the driver.

The motor 54 to which the driver is directly connected is of the three phase synchronous type operating at a constant speed of 1800 R. P. M. This insures a uniform linear velocity of the driving head and insures the delivery of a uniform driving impact to all balls properly positioned in the path of the driver. The timing of the travel of the chain 42 with respect to the driver is such that the driver when passing the chain at one revolution passes just ahead of the forward finger 51. On the next revolution, the

driver impacts the center of the positioned ball,

and on the next revolution passes behind the rear finger 51. This timing of the parts not only properly positions each ball to be driven, but also prevents the holding fingers and pads from being struck by the driver.

Since all of the balls are accurately hit with a uniform impact by the driver, it necessarily follows that any differences in the velocities of the driven balls must result from differences in their resiliencies. With our invention, these differences are determined during the first few feet of flight of the balls, by either measuring the actual velocity of each individual ball, or by determining the relative velocities of the balls and segregating them into groups corresponding with their determined relative velocities.

While we appreciate that various devices, mechanical or electrical, for accomplishing this purpose might be devised, we believe we are the first to accurately test the velocity of balls during their first few feet of travel in flight and therefore wish it to be understood that the specific apparatus herein disclosed for accomplishing these results is to be considered typical only of such devices, and as an exemplification of one suitable means in which the principles of our invention may be embodied.

Referrring first to the method of determining the actual linear velocity of a ball impelled through the tube by the driver, we position at the spaced apart stations l2 and 13 in the tube, devices adapted to be actuated by a ball as it passes these points. Since the two devices are substantially identical in structure and operation, a detailed description of one only will suffice, and for this purpose we have selected the device located at the station l3, and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. From Fig. 5 it will be observed that in a suitable frame interposed in the tube 8 we have mounted at opposite sides of the tubelight reflectors or mirrors 55 and 68, and at one side above the mirror 65 a light pro- :ector 01, the structural details 01 which need not here be described. This projector projects an upper light beam 88 against the mirror I! by whichit is reflected along the line 89 against mirror 65 and then repeatedly reflected back and iorth between the mirrors until it finally emerges as beam 1| into a light sensitive element P02, a similar element PCI, Fig. 6, being provided at station i2. These elements are photo-electric cells oi usual or preferred construction incorporated in an electrical circuit in which advantage is taken of the characteristic of such cells that their electrical resistance ismaterially increased when the light beam to which they are subjected is cut ofl.

It willbe observed that each reflection of beam 88 until it finally emerges as beam 1| is always spaced from adjacent reflections a distance not greater than the diameter of a ball to be tested so that, irrespective of the position in thetube of a ball in flight, such ball as it passes the vertical plane of the light beams will always intercept one or more of the beams and thereby momentarily shut off the projection of light into the element P02, thereby rendering the same active for the performance of its intended function.

Similar mirrors, a light projector, and a light sensitive element PM are embodied in the device interposed in the tube at the station l2 adjacent to the driving mechanism I. When the projectors at the stations i2 and i3 are both in operation, the circuits, including the light sensitive elements, will be successively affected as the light rays are intercepted by the passage of a ball, and the time elapsing between the successive light beam interceptions at the stations I: and I3 oi the tube is utilized to indicate the actual linear velocity of the ball in its passage between stations i2 and lb. The circuit and indicator for making this determination of actual velocity will be described more in detail in connection with the wiring diagram of Fig. 6.

Since the linear velocity indicator requires an appreciable period of time to assume a position indicating the speed of a ball, and since an ap preciable time is required also for the reading of the indicator, the balls cannot be fed through the apparatus in as rapid succession when their actual linear velocity is being determined as they can when their relative velocities only are to be determined. Therefore, when the apparatus is used for determining actual linear velocity, some of the pockets i! in the disk It by which the balls are, fed from the magazine It may be plugged or closed to increase the length of time between the feeding of successive balls to the apparatus, or, if preferred, the balls may be droppedinto the magazine singly at spaced time intervals. When the apparatus is to be used for determining relative ball velocities and for sorting or segregating the balls into groups of like velocities, the balls will be delivered from the magazine to the apparatus at intervals of approximately two seconds.

Irrespective of whether actual or relative velocities are being determined, the driven balls are delivered at high speed from the right hand end oi the tube 8 viewing Fig. 1, into a velocity reducer or dissipator l4 which, as will be apparent from Fig. 4, comprises a series of barriers 13, I4, 15, I6 and 11 so disposed that a ball impinges against the barriers in the order given by reason of being deflected from one barrier to the next. Each barrier comprises a resilient pad ll of soft rubber or other suitable material covered by a i'acing 1| 0! fabric or other durable material adapted to receive the successive impacts of the balls without destruction or marked deterioration.

At each deflection by a barrier, the ball gives up some of its energy until it finally drops by gravity into the upper end of the delivery tube ll. One side of this tube is provided with a plurality of openings 82 registering with corresponding delivery chutes 83, 84, and 85, respectively, each adapted to deliver into a ditlerent receptacle or compartment in which the balls are collected. The lower end or the tube Bi also discharges into still another receptacle or compartment. Opposite each opening 82, the tube BI is provided with a switch or deflector plate 8! hinged at its upper end, as indicated at 81, so that when the plate is swung to the right viewing Fig. 4 a ball entering tube 8| will be diverted into the oppositely positioned delivery chutes 83, 84, or 85, as the case may be. The deflecting plates 88 are adapted to be individually actuated by corresponding electro-magnetic devices 88, 89, and 90, respectively. Each device comprises a solenoid and a movable core adapted, upon energization of the solenoid,'to project the switch plate 86 into the tube 8!. Upon deenergization of a solenoid, the parts are restored to normal position shown in Fig. 4 by a light coiled spring 80 surrounding an extension of the solenoid core.

When the apparatus is employed for deter mining relative ball velocities and for sorting the balls into groups oi like velocities and without the determination of the actual linear velocity of a ball, the first light sensitive element and its projector, that is the element PCI and the projector located at station II, are switched out of operation, andonly the element P02 and projector located at station It are employed. The general mode of operation for this purpose will now be explained, and the details of the circuits involved will be described later.

Speaking generally, the constant speed motor shaft 53 is equipped with a disk or cylinder 9i (Figs. 2 and 6) of insulating material provided with an arcuate, metallic sector 92. For adjustment or regulating purposes, the sector may be adjustable circumferentially of the cylinder, or the cylinder maybe adjustably mounted onv the motor shaft. Brushes 93, 94, 95 and 96 arepositioned to contact the sector at each revolution of the shaft. Since the constant speed ball driving head isin fixed adjusted relation to the sector $2, and the light sensitive element P02 at station I 8 is located a fixed distance from the point of impact of the driving head with a ball...

the relative times at which the light sensitive element P02 will be de-energized by the interruption of the light beam and the various brushes will contact the sector 92 will be dependent upon the velocity of the driven ball. For instance, if

the light beam at station i3 is interrupted when brushes 93 and 95 only are in contact with sector 92, solenoid will be energized to divert the ball into chute 85. Should the speed of the driven ball be suiiiciently slower, so that all the brushes 83, 94, 95, and 98 will be in contact with sector 92 at the instant of interruption of the beam, and the circuit thus established will energize solenoid 08 to divert the ball into chute 03. If the speed of the ball should be either sumciently greater or less than above indicated so that none of the brushes would be in contact with the sector 02 at the instant of interruption of the light beam, none of the solenoids would be energized, and the ball would in consequence be delivered at the lower end of the tube 5|.

The speed or velocity or the driven balls is therefore utilized through the medium of electric circuits to sort or segregate the balls into groups of like velocities. In the present instance, they are divided into three groups, all within the contemplated velocity range of the apparatus and those balls, if any, having a velocity and a resultant coefilcient of resiliency outside the range provided for, are collected in a fourth group.

Referring now to the wiring diagram of Fig. 6, those circuits will first be considered which are employed in determining the actual linear velocity of a particular ball. For such a measurement both of the photo-electric cells PCI, PC2 are employed, the increase in resistance of respective ones of these cells, incident to a diminution of the light falling on them, being used to change the grid bias on respective amplifier tubes I00, IOI. For this purpose each cell is connected across a battery I02 and in series, respectively, with resistors I03, I04, which may be of about five megohms. One terminal of each of these resistors is connected to the cathode I05, I of its associated amplifier tube through a small bias battery I01, I08, while the other resistor terminal is, in each case, connected to the grid I09, IIO of its associated amplifier through smaller resistors III, II2 of about two megohms. Accordingly, the decrease in voltage drop across the respective resistors I03, I04 (resulting from a diminution in current through them when their respective cell's internal resistance increases as light on it is diminished) is used to change the biasing potentials on the corresponding ones of the grids I00, I I0 to diminish the output currents of the corresponding amplifier tubes I00, IOI practically to zero. These amplifier tubes are preferably high-mu tubes and may be type 6F5G triodes. The desirable high degree of sensitivity of such high-mu tubes is accompanied by fairly low current carrying capacity, and, consequently, they are used to control, in turn, tubes of higher current rating, as will appear below. In the output circuits of the amplifiers a load resistor II3 of approximately 65,000 ohms is connected between the plate H4 and cathode I05 of the first amplifier I00 while a similar load resistor H5 is connected between the plate I I5 and cathode I05 of the other amplifier IOI. A milliammeter III is arranged to be connected through a reversing switch I I8 to measure the output currents.

The outputs of the amplifiers I00, IOI are utilized, respectively, to control the biasing potentials on the control grids of gaseous discharge vacuum tubes I20, I2I, that is, the higher current rating tubes mentioned above. These latter may be type 2051 tetrodes. Thus the tube I20 includes a plate I22, a cathode I23 connected to a screen grid I24, and a control grid I25. Similarly, the tube I2I includes a plate I25, a cathode I21 connected to a screen grid I20, and a control grid I29. Plate voltage for the tubes I20, I2I is supplied from terminals I30, I3I to which a suitable source of direct current potential is connected with a resistor I32 and condenser I33 across these terminals. Incidentally, all of the vacuum tubes in the circuit are of the indirectly heated cathode type and since their cathode heaters, as well as the supply circuits therefor, are of conventional form, neither have been shown.

The control grid I20 of the tube I2I is permanently connected to a terminal of the load resistor II5 of the corresponding amplifier tube IIII through a resistor I34, while the control grid I25 of the other tube I20 may be connected through a resistor I35 and a two-position selector switch I30 with either the output circuit of the amplifier I00 or with the output of the other amplifier IOI. Thus when the selector I35 is in the position shown the photo-electric cells PCI, P02 are effective through the medium of their respective amplifiers I00, IOI to control the outputs of the respective gaseous discharge tubes I20, I, but when the selector I30 is thrown to its other position the photo-electric cell PC2 alone controls the output of both of the gaseous discharge tubes through its amplifier tube IOI. Load resistors IIIand II5 are paralleled by condensers I31 and I30.

A ballistic galvanometer I30 of conventional form serves as an indicating device for the system when velocity measurements are being made. This galvanometer has the usual mirror, not shown, arranged to swing through a distance dependent upon the length of time that voltage is applied to the instrument and the scale, not shown, is calibrated in terms of feet per second or other linear speed. The resistors I40, I are connected in shunt and series respectively with the galvanometer, while it is connected across a resistor network of the potentiometer type including a resistor I42 across the instrument and resistor sections I43, I44, I45, I46 and I41 connected in series with each other and in parallel with the resistor section I42. The section I45 comprises an adjustable potentiometer arm. Three terminals I40, I40, I50 are provided on tlfie ietwork and to which input current is supp e A selector switch I5I serves, in conjunction with the selector switch I36 heretofore noted, to condition the circuits alternatively for either the velocity type or comparative type of measurements heretofore generally described. The selector switch I5I is of the rotary type and comprises four stationary segments I52, I53, I54 and I55 as well as four corresponding sliding brushes I50, I51, I58, I50 riding over these segments to connect them to one or the other of respective ones in two stationary sets of contact points I60, IGI, I02, I03 and I04, I65, I66, I61. Inthe position of the selector I5I shown, the first of these sets of contacts, namely I60, I6I, I62, I63, is connected to respective ones of the stationary segments to condition the circuits for measurement of ball velocity.

With the selectors I36 and lil set as shown the circuit is conditioned for measurement of ball velocity. Thus a ball moving through the tube 0 (see Fig. l) first of all diminishes light passing to photo-electric cell PCI at station I2. Thereupon the output current of the amplifier I00 (Fig. 6) is decreased to such a point that the voltage drop across its load resistor II3 becomes negligible and in view of this condition the control grid I25 of the gaseous discharge tube I20 is at the potential of its cathode I23 so that the tube ionizes and becomes conductive. Thereupon current fiows in its plate or output circuit to set up a voltage drop through a portion of the resistor network across which the ballistic galvanometer is connected so as to actuate the latter (through a circuit I22I"IIl--I53I6'I-I8l-- ill- -I58-Ifi6--ifl5-I49II2--I3I--I8'8--I'I9- E28). As the ball, whose velocity is being measured, moves on down the tube 9 it next momentarily diminishes the light falling on the second photo-electric cell P02 at station M. This in turn causes the output of the amplifier tube IUI to be diminished so that the drop across its resistor i I9 is negligible, whereupon the associated gaseous discharge tube iii is ionized and becomes conductive to supply current in its output circuit through a second portion of the potentiometer network of the ballistic galvanometer l59 (through a circuit i26--l14-l52i96i69- ilii--M9-i=lt-ld5-M9-l12-l3ii9iii"l3- This second impulse applies to the galvanoineter resistor network is in voltage opposition to the first, and accordingly, the mechanical impulse to the galvanometer movement is arrested. Thus the deflection of the galvanometer indicates the time required for the ball to pass from station it to station is, and since the scale oi the 'galvanometer 599 is calibrated in terms of linear speed, a precise reading is given of the velocity the ball. During such velocity measuring the brush 5%, through contact with point ids, closes a circuit including a pilot light which visually indicates to the operator that the machine is set to measure the velocities of the individual balls. When the machine is employed to segregate balls into groups based on velocities, the brush I59 contacts point led to close a circuit including another pilot light, which indicates that the machine is set for segregation purposes.

The control apparatus shown in Fig. 6 also includes additional apparatus used during the segregating or sorting operation of the machine, to control the three solenoids 98, 69 and 98 heretoiore described. This additional apparatus com prises a pair of relays R1 and R2 as well as vacuum tubes itd and till to hold the corresponding re lays R1, R2 closed once they have been picked up. The relay R1 includes an actuating winding RWi and two sets of normally open contacts I82, ids as well as a normally closed set of contacts let. Similarly the relay R2 includes an actuating winding RWs, a set of normally open contacts B89 and a set of normally closed contacts I86. The tubes l80, I8! may, like the tubes I29, I2I, be type 2051 gaseous discharge tetrodes. Thus the tube G89 includes a plate I91, a screen grid 589 connected to its cathode I89, and a control grid I98 connected with the cathode through a condenser I9I and connected to it through a bias battery i9l' in series with grid current-limiting resistor I92 and biasing resistor I93. Similarly, the other tube I8! includes a plate I94, a screen grid I95 connected to a cathode I96, and a control grid I91 connected to the cathode through a condenser I98 and connected to it through a bias battery I99, grid current-limiting resistor 296 and biasing resistor 20I. Plate current may, for circuit testing purposes, be supplied to the tubes I 98, I8I from the source at terminals I39,

' I3I through a normally open manual switch 292,

but in normal operation the current is supplied through a normally closed manual switch 203 and a cam-operated recycling switch 284, which opens during each revolution of the rotating disk I6 (Fig. 1) for a purpose which will appear below. Energizing current for the three solenoids 88, 89, 90 is supplied from a suitable source of current connected to terminals 285, 206.

To condition the apparatus for sorting operation, the selector switches I 36 and I5I are shifted to their alternative positions from-those shown in Fig. 6. Thus the selector I86 connects both of the tubes I29, I2I to have their grids controlled trom the single photo-electric cell PC2- through the medium of its amplifier tube IBI, while the selector I5I cuts the galvanometer I89 out of circuit and cuts the relays R1, R2 into clrcult ion control by the tubes E29, 5121. With the selectors so set, when a ball moves down the tube 9 past the photo-electric cell P02 cutting oil the light to it momentarily, the output oi its amplifier Bill is diminished so that the gaseous discharge tubes 520, 112i become conductive. The position of the revolving cylinder 9i has been so set that ii the ball is of a desired average speed all four of the brushes99, 94, 95, 96 will be in contact with the segment 92 at the instant the tubes-E29, i2I become conductive. As a consequence the relay R1 is energized from the tube 525 (through a circuit i2S-il'tll5Z--i56- i9d--2oEi- RWi ts-i 9il2ol-499-92--93 ltd-lt3i!i99-I59--299--294-29t2l9i3l-- ii3il9--i2'l) while the other relay R2 is energised from the other tube 329 (through a circuit ittiio liiiiioi --i69 t i --RJV2- 2i2- till-2 i3 99-92 9 l-298--lt" ltd-E99 299-29l-299-2i9i3i--l9dil d-i233). Normolly, the tubes H89, till are non-conductive because or the potential applied to their control grids by the respective biasing batteries ibi, I99. it will be observed, however, that in the relay circuits set out just above, the resistors 2M and E93 are included. The resultant voltage drops through these later resistors changes the grid bias on the tubes ltd, idl, rendering them conductive. The tube 599 is connected in the circuit of the relay R1 so that its output terminals (cathode and plate) are, in effect, in shunt with the rotating contactdevice 9i, and similarly the output of the other tube 119i is connected in shunt with this contact device in the supply circuit of the other relay R2. Accordingly, when once picked up these relays will remain onergized by the tubes tau and let, respectively, until the plate circuits of the latter are interrupted by opening oiizhe cycling switch 288 to drop the relays out and condition the circuits for the next cycle of operation.

When both of the relays R1, R2 are energized as described above the relay R. closes its contacts I83 (its other contacts i82 which are closed being ineffective at the moment) and the relay R2 closes its contacts I85, thereby energizing the solenoid 88 to deliver the ball through the associated chute 83 as heretofore described.

In the event that a ball is traveling through the tube 8 somewhat faster than the average speed noted above, only the brushes 95, 93 will be in contact with the segment 92 at the instant the tubes I28, I2I become conductive. It will be seen that in such case the circuit of the relay R2 will be open at 96, 92 so that only the relay R1 is energized through its circuit heretofore noted. Accordingly, the solenoid 98 is energized (through contacts I82 on the relay R1 and cuit be'ng interrupted at ll. 82, but the other relay 2 is picked up. As a consequence, the third solenoid 88 is energized (through contacts I88 on the relay R: and normally closed i contacts I84 on the relay R1) and diverts the ball into the associated delivery chute 8|.

In the event that the ball is traveling so iast or so slow that none oi the brushes 93 to I are in contact with the segment 92 at the instant that the tubes I20, Iii are rendered conductive by the photo-electriccell PCI, neither oi the relays R1 or R: will be energized nor will any oi the solenoids 88, 88, 80. Consequently, the ball will be delivered at the. lower end oi the outlet tube 8| in the delivery system as heretoiore noted.

It will be apparent irom the ioregoing that we have provided an apparatus which is capable oi determining with accuracy the actual linear velocity oi a ball during its first iew ieet oi flight, and is also capable oi determining the relative velocities oi a series oi successively driven balls,

and oi segregating such balls into groups corresponding with the determined'velocities oi the balls. While the apparatus illustrated is designed to sort the balls into three groups within a predetermined velocity range and to segregate into another group all balls following outside said range, it should be understood that the number oi groups or classifications into which the balls may be divided may be increased or diminished as desired within the preview oi our invention.

Furthermore, various modifications oi the apparatus shown and described may be resorted to without departing irom. the essence oi our invention as defined in the iollowing claims.

We claim: a

1. In an apparatus oi the character described, the combination oi a driving element, means for actuating said element at a predetermined linear velocity, means for positioning a ball in the path of said driving element whereby the ball is driven, means for projecting a light beam across the path oi the driven ball, a light-sensitive device rendered operable upon the interception oi said beam by said ball, and means under the joint control oi said device and the means ior actuating the driving member adapted to be actuated in accordance with the velocity oi the driven ball.

2. In an apparatus-oi'the character described,

the combination oi a rotatable driving member,

means for rotating said member at a predetermined speed, means ior positioning balls in succession in position to be driven by said member, means for projecting a light beam in the path oi the driven balls, a light-sensitive device rendered operable upon interception of said beam by a ball, and an operative device controlled by the position of said driving means at the instant of said light beam interception so as to operate in accordance with the velocity .01 the ball efiecting the light beam interception.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of means for delivering a predetermined uniform impact to each oi a series oi balls to be tested, a tube through which said balls travel in flight, means for projecting a series oi light beams across said tube in a plane transverse to the axis thereof, the spacing between adjacent beams being less than the diameter oi the balls being tested, and means rendered operable by the interception oi a beam by a ball in conjunction with the actuation oi said impact delivering means to classify each driven ball in accordance with its velocity through said tube.

. 2,s14,oes

4. In a testing apparatus, the combination oi a tube, means ior projecting a series oi balls in succession through said tube, means ior projecting a light beam transversely oi the tube, means ior reflecting said beam back and iorth across the tube to produce a series oi beams in a plane transverse to the axis oi the tube spaced apart less than the diameter oi the projected balls so that a beam will be intercepted by each projected ball, and means rendered operable by the interception oi a beam in conjunction with an electric circuit operating synchronously with said projecting means ior classiiying the projected bails according to their velocities.

5. In a ball testing apparatus, the combination oi a driver, means ior actuating said driver in a predetermined path and at a predetermined velocity, an endlessconveyor, ballholding clamps comprising spaced fingers carried by said conveyor, means ior positioning a ball in a predetermined position in said clamps, and means ior actuating said conveyor in predetermined timed relation with the driver to locatesaid ball in the path oi travel oi said driver.

6. In a ball testing apparatuslthe combination oi a driver, means for rotating said driver at a predetermined linear velocity, a conveyor, a ball clamping and holding device comprising a pair oi spaced fingers provided with opposed holding pads carried by said conveyor, means ior positioning a ball in predetermined position in said clamping and holding device, and means ior operating the conveyor in timed relation with the driver to locate the positioned ball in the path of said driver.

7. In a ball testing apparatus, the combination oi a rotatable driver, a conveyor, ball clamping and holding means carried by the conveyor, a sprocket wheel around which said conveyor is trained, said clamping means being opened during the travel thereoi in an arc around said sprocket wheel, means ior delivering a ball to said clamping means, a guard cooperating with said clamping means to locate the ball in predetermined position in said clamping means, and means ior driving the conveyor in timed relation with said driver to present said positioned ball in the path oi the driver.

8. In an apparatus oi the character described, the combination oi a tube, means located at one end of the tube ior driving balls singly through said tube, means atthe other end oi the tube ior receiving the driven bails, means for projecting a light beam across the path of travel of balls through said tube, light sensitive means adapted to be actuated'upon the interception of said light beam, an electric circuit including a contact arranged to be opened and closed in synchronism with a predetermined position of said ball driving means and means controlled jointly by said light sensitive means and said contact whereby the relative velocities of balls intercepting said light beam may be ascertained.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination oi means ior projecting in succession a series oi balls, means ior projecting a light beam across the path oi said balls so as to be intercepted by the passage oi a ball in flight at a predetermined distance irom the point of projection, and means controlled jointly by said light beam and by the projecting means for segregating the projected balls in accordance with variations in their velocities in flight.

CARL G. ANDERSON. DONALD E. RICHARDSON. 

